Fragrance comparison

First Love vs Talisman

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 14 Nov 2026 847 ratings analysed

First Love

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.81426 votes

Rank #6,189 FloralAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

37%scent match

Some overlap

6 wins

Talisman

Balenciaga

4.05421 votes

Rank #3,895 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Talisman takes 6 of 7 categories.

First Love
Choose it for a floral and amber character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Talisman
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

First Love1/7

Talisman6/7

Ratings & consensus: Talisman
Community sentiment: Talisman
Longevity: Talisman
Sillage & projection: Talisman
Value for money: First Love
Versatility: Talisman
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Talisman

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

First LoveVan Cleef & Arpels

TalismanBalenciaga

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.81/ 5 · 426 votes

Have 56%Had 44%Want 0%

4.05/ 5 · 421 votes

Have 58%Had 42%Want 0%

Category winnerTalismanRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

27%Love

50%Like

3%Ok

20%Dislike

1%Hate

426 votes

40%Love

41%Like

2%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

421 votes

Category winnerTalismanMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate70

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityTalisman

SillageTalisman

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value61

¤ Price value54

Category winnerFirst LoveBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

amber92%

sweet84%

vanilla77%

yellow floral69%

powdery61%

fruity100%

sweet92%

woody84%

floral77%

powdery69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match37%Some overlap · both floral, sweet and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top15-30 mins

OsmanthusPepperMandarin Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

OrchidYlang-YlangPeony

Base6-8+ hrs

AmberVanilla

Top

Dried FruitsRumAldehydesPineapplePeachOsmanthusMandarin OrangeHiacynth

Heart

Ylang-YlangCarnationJasmineRoseIrisCyclamenFreesiaLily-of-the-Valley

Base

BeeswaxLeatherCaramelSandalwoodVanillaTonka BeanPatchouliAmber

InformationalShared notesOsmanthus, Mandarin Orange, Ylang-Ylang and Amber. Durations are only published for First Love, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring49

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night84

Spring42

Summer30

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerTalismanMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Men2

Unisex15

Women83

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#6,189

PerfumerChristophe Raynaud

Launched—

Reviews44

Overall rank#3,895

PerfumerDominique Preyssas

Launched—

Reviews41

Category winnerTalismanHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

First Love by Van Cleef & Arpels is a soft, comforting floral amber perfume that settles into a powdery, warm cloud. It opens with an initial burst of mandarin orange and a sharp pinch of peppery osmanthus before calming down into velvety orchid, sweet ylang-ylang, and delicate peony blossoms. As the floral bouquet se…

Reviews →

Talisman by Balenciaga opens with a dense pour of rum and dried fruits, immediately signaling a departure from standard clean florality. The initial warmth feels thick and sticky, cutting through cool autumn air with a syrupy weight. As the scent settles, ylang-ylang and carnation introduce a spicy, classic floral tex…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, First Love or Talisman?

Talisman takes 6 of 7 categories. First Love is rated 3.81/5 from 426 votes; Talisman is rated 4.05/5 from 421 votes. Choose First Love for a floral and amber character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Talisman for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, First Love or Talisman?

Talisman lasts longest (Talisman 74/100, First Love 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, First Love or Talisman?

Projection is very close: Talisman 68/100, First Love 66/100 for sillage.

Do First Love and Talisman smell similar?

Some overlap: a 37% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, sweet and powdery accords. Common notes include Osmanthus, Mandarin Orange, Ylang-Ylang and Amber.

Is First Love or Talisman better for summer or winter?

For summer, Talisman is the stronger pick. For winter, First Love is the stronger pick. First Love suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in First Love and Talisman?

First Love has top notes of Osmanthus, Pepper and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Orchid, Ylang-Ylang and Peony, a base of Amber and Vanilla. Talisman has top notes of Dried Fruits, Rum, Aldehydes and Pineapple, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Carnation, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Beeswax, Leather, Caramel and Sandalwood.